When You Least Expect It
by Fangshen Gin
Summary: Natsuki's a normal university student on spring break. One morning, she was woken up by a mysteriously beautiful woman with crimson eyes. Apparently, she was to meet with the woman's father? What is going on? Shiznat guys, with Maikoto and Aoichie. As you can tell, I still suck at writing summaries... I don't own Mai HiME. Hiatus cause my laptop is broken.
1. Chapter 1

**New story idea that really needed to leave my head. Also kinda hit a road block with ASR. Hope you guys enjoy this while I try to break the stupid dam between me and my muse.**

**Warning: Might seem a bit OOC considering this story is AU. **

**I don't own Mai HiME.**

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On a normal day, she would wake up to the sun peaking through her curtained window. On a normal day, she would prepare for a long boring day at her university. On a normal day, she would have a breakfast of mayo on toast. The thing is, though, it wasn't a normal day. Not even close.

Natsuki woke up to the sound of someone banging on her apartment door. Normally, she would've just ignored it. After all, it was spring break and she was entitled to sleep for as long as she wanted to. But for some reason, the young emerald eyed woman found herself in front of her door.

"Yea, yea. Hold on a sec." she said groggily, rolling herself out of her bed. Yawning slightly, Natsuki walked towards her door, still wondering why she had actually gotten up from under her warm blankets. What had compelled her? It was only Tuesday of her spring break. The spring break that she was supposed to be sleeping away because of the insomnia that she gained as a college student. Oh, she was gonna give the person a piece of her mind. No one, _no one_, had the right to wake her up.

_'It better not be Nao or I swear to Kami, I'm going to be banging her head against the wall till it bleeds.' _the nineteen year old thought mercilessly. Unlocking her front door, Natsuki got ready to brutally interogate the person who dared wake a tired college student From a good night's rest.

"What the hell was so important that you had to wake me up?" she practically yelled as she yanked her door open. "Do you know how tired I am? I haven't slept for so long that I'm actually considering ending your pathetic existence just so I can get back to sleep!" Natsuki really was dishing out the best that her sleepy mind could handle. She didn't care who she was yelling to; she just wanted to scream at the person who interupted her peaceful slumber.

"Ara, I am sorry for waking you up." a soft voice said. Natsuki stopped her rant abruptly. That voice, why does it sound so familiar? Turning her emerald eyes to the person in front of her, she finally noticed who she had opened the door for. Crimson eyes stared down at her.

For the first time since Kami knows when, Natsuki felt her breath hitch as a pair of crimson orbs watched her. Such...such intensity. It felt like the woman could see everything about her. Like the woman was diving into her mind and into her soul. Natsuki found it...unsettling, but at the same very fascinating. It was somewhat familiar as well...

Natsuki examined the person who had decided to wake her up. The woman was a good 162 cm in height. She had worn a short black skirt, that reached her thighs, with a black blazer over a purple tee. Even though the woman had worn some pretty casual clothes, Natsuki couldn't help but think that those clothes were made especially for her. The body wasn't the most beautiful part, though. Nope not at the slightest. It was the woman's face. Long tawny chestnut hair flowed down the stranger's back. Full lips were curved into a soft smile. But the part that had captured Natsuki's full attention was the pair of red crimson eyes starring at her.

"W-who are you? And what do you want with me?" Natsuki asked the woman, a tinge of nervousness in her voice. Not out of fear, but of a curiousity as to why the woman was at her home. Natsuki watched the woman smile and felt her heart beat erratically. _'The hell is wrong with me?'_

"I do apologize for not introducing myself." the bright eyed woman began as she gave a customary bow. Keeping her head down, the woman continued. "My name is Shizuru. Shizuru Viola." Shizuru raised her head up to give the emerald eyed woman a smile. A smile that triggered alarming bells in Natsuki's mind. Something flashed through her mind, but before Natsuki could reconize it, it disappeared.

_'Shizuru...Viola? Shizuru Viola... Why does that name sound so familiar?' _It really was driving Natsuki wild that she couldn't figure this woman out. A classmate? One of her fangirls? The university student shuddered. She really didn't want this Shizuru person to be a fangirl. Putting that thought aside, she wondered why, or what, the woman was here for. "...Alright, Viola-san. Why are you here and what for?"

Shizuru stood at her full height as she answered Natsuki's question. "Why and what I'm here for is you, Kruger-san." Natsuki's eyes widened. "My father has asked me to fetch you for him."

"Your father? Who's your father?" Natsuki really felt bewildered. She just met Shizuru today. Why the hell would the woman's father want her? _'Then again...her name does sound familiar.'_

"Hideyoshi Viola." Shizuru replied back.

...Hideyoshi... Hideyoshi. Yoshi. Yoshi-ojisan! Natsuki's mind flashed with old memories of a smiling old man with a mop of chestnut hair and a ruggish grin. "Yoshi-oji!"

"Ara, yes."

Natsuki grinned as she remembered. She wasn't the best at recalling things, ever since it happened, so it really felt like a victory for when she remembered something from her childhood. Thinking about Yoshi-oji also triggered some memories from her past as well.

**Flashback**

_A young Natsuki was waiting for someone at her neighborhood park. It was pretty hot outside so she was wearing a pair of blue shorts with her bright forest green t-shirt. Suddenly, she saw someone coming closer to her. Another little girl wearing a pair of jeans and a purple blouse. "Vi-chan!" she yelled waving at her friend._

_"Hello Ku-chan!" the other little girl yelled back as she glomped the young Natsuki. This was pretty common when the two met up. What Shizuru did next though, was pretty new to Natsuki._

_Natsuki blushed as Vi-chan kissed her on the cheek. "V-vi-chan? Wha?"_

_Vi-chan just giggled as let go of her friend. "I saw mommy do that to daddy this morning. I asked mommy why she did that and she said because she loves daddy. Well, I love Ku-chan!"_

_Natsuki blinked then grinned. Taking the other girl's hand, Natsuki suddenly kissed Vi-chan's cheeks too. Shizuru blushed as well. "I love Shizuru too!" Although, the phrase itself was innocent, anybody else could easily see that those words were much more deeper. The two just didn't realize it yet._

**Flashback end (Dang, that was a horrible flashback.)**

Natsuki's grin suddenly dropped as the realization hit her. Vi-chan... Shizuru? _'No, no frickin way...'_

Suddenly she remembered. Ice cream at the park. Bike rides around the block. Climbing trees. Late night sleepovers. As those old memories rushed in, the emerald eyed woman felt the same fondness her younger self had felt for young Shizuru. Fueled with the happiness of seeing her old friend, Natsuki did something that she had never done with anyone except for Shizuru.

"V-vi-chan!" Natsuki exclaimed as she uncharacteristically gathered the other woman in her arms for a hug. It felt so right. So easy. As if the two had never grown apart. As if Shizuru had never moved away. Natsuki pushed those sad thoughts away. The past is the past. Right now, all she really cares about was being with Shizuru again.

Natsuki could hear soft giggling come from her arms. Letting the other woman go, Natsuki grinned. It really was nice to be with her old friend again. It brought back some of her personality from when she was still a little kid.

"Ara, it seemed Ku-chan remembered, ne?" Shizuru wondered as she smiled at her friend.

"Yea, I remember. Sorry about that. I suck at remembering things." Natsuki rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. This woman... this beautiful woman was her best friend! Natsuki felt her face turn red at those thoughts. She shouldn't be feeling this way; it's her best friend for kami's sake! Her gorgeous, unbelieveably beautiful best friend... Natsuki can't deny what she's feeling for the woman, but for now... she'll keep her new developping feelings to herself. On a whole different subject, Natsuki loved the fact that she felt so comfortable with Shizuru. She was a bit guilty for actually thinking this, but she had never felt this at ease with her current friends. _'Shizuru Viola. What are you doing to me?'_

Natsuki gave a chuckle as she remembered why she had picked Shizuru as her best friend. She remembered all times that the older girl had helped her, all the times Vi-chan had cooked for her, and all the times that she had comforted the younger woman whenever Natsuki's parents had a fight. It was as if someone from heaven had sent Shizuru to be Natsuki's guardian angel. Natsuki couldn't have been more happier. That all changed when Shizuru had moved away, but Natsuki exiled those thoughts right away.

Natsuki snapped out of her daze when she heard a rich, almost hypnotic, laugh come from her friend. "It seems Natsuki is still the same from when we were younger."

Natsuki laughed, but then tried to put on her best serious expression. It seems like Shizuru still teased people. "Hey! I've changed! I'm not the same person I was when we were kids!" Natsuki tried her best to hold the smile that was trying to sneak onto her face.

"Ara, I beg to differ. Natsuki still likes mayo, ne? Did she also continue to pursue her obsession with motorcycles as well?" Shizuru tilted her head to the side and innocently looked at Natsuki. Natsuki gave a friendly growl when she realized that Shizuru knew that she had been correct.

"She still growls when she's annoyed too. Is Natsuki sure that she's changed?"

Natsuki narrowed her eyes when her best friend began to tease her. "Yes," the emerald eyed woman then gestured to her much more matured body. "I'm pretty sure I'm not the same as my kid year old self."

Natsuki watched as the other woman eyed her body. "Yes, Natsuki is _most_ definitely not her six year old self." she heard Shizuru mumble as the crimson eyed woman nodded in appreciation. Natsuki just blushed. She really should've changed out of her boxer shorts and tank top before opening her door.

The two continued to chat, or in Shizuru's case- tease, for a few more minutes before Natsuki remembered the reason why the tawny haired woman had visited her. Ushering the older woman into her apartment, the two sat themselves inside the kitchen. Natsuki prepared the two some tea, she remembered that young Shizuru was addicted to it, and the two situated themselves for another conversation.

"Ne, Shizuru, exactly why does your dad want me?" Natsuki asked as she sipped from her mug. Green tea. Really the only tea that Natsuki actually enjoyed.

Natsuki felt the room temperature drop as Shizuru's once bright eyes turned unbearably sad. "H-he's dying. Natsuki..." the brunette whispered quietly as she stared into her own mug. "..The cancer... they said... he's got three days left.."

Natsuki felt her heart shatter as Shizuru gave her the most heartbreaking news. Yoshi-oji...Oh, Yoshi-oji was going to die...

**Flashback**

_"Nat-kun! Here for Shi-chan?" a middle aged man with messy chestnut hair asked as he opened the door to his house. There standing in front of him was a five year old Natsuki holding a bucket full of beach tools._

_"Yoshi-oji! I'm not a 'kun'!" Natsuki whined as she stamped her small feet against the floor. _

_The man chuckled. "Alright, then Nat-chan!"_

_"No!"_

_"Then, what do you want me to call you?"_

_"I'm just Natsuki!"_

_Hideyoshi just laughed as he ruffled the little girl's hair. Natsuki tried to slap his hand away only for the man to do it again. They proceeded to play their little game for a while longer._

_"Oto-chan!" shouted __someone__ from behind Hedeyoshi. Suddenly, Yoshi-oji felt someone's weight on his back. Hideyoshi smiled as his little girl wrapped her arms around his neck to keep from falling. "Oto-chan shouldn't tease Ku-chan. Only I'm allowed to tease Ku-chan!" _

_Natsuki narrowed her emerald orbs into her developing Kuga death glare. "Hey! I've got an idea, how about the both of you stop teasing me?"_

_The two Violas looked at each other then at Natsuki. "Nope!" the two replied simotaneously, their faces holding identical grins._

_Natsuki just gave a small whine. "Fine. Whatever." Turning her attention to her best friend, Natsuki raised her blue bucket. "C'mon, Vi-chan. We gotta go now or else the big kids would get there before us. Then they'll hog all the room...again."_

_Shizuru, realizing the affects that would occur if they were late, jumped off her father's back. "Alright, Ku-chan. Let's go!" Shizuru picked up her purple bucket, that she had set down earlier, and began to walk towards the front door, Natsuki and Hideyoshi at her heels. _

_Shizuru yanked the front door open with as much strength as a seven year could gather. _

_"Kids, you know the rules. No punching, no kicking, no jumping on people's backs, no throwing rocks, no pushing people in the water, and finally please don't, and I say this as serious as I can possibly say, don't dye people's hair pink...again." Hideyoshi grinned as her grabbed the two girls in a bear hug. "Alright, you're all set. Be careful and watch out for Shizuru, Nat-kun. I want my baby girl safe and sound." He set both the girls down._

_"Mou, I'm strong enough to take care of myself, Oto-chan! I don't need Ku-chan's help!" Shizuru crossed both her ams and gave a cute pout. _

_Hideyoshi just laughed. "I know baby, but I trust Nat-kun to protect you just in case you can't protect yourself."_

_Natsuki grinned and gave a salute. "I'll do my best, sir!"_

_The three shared a laugh and the two little girls began to head out "Bye Oto-chan/Yoshi-oji!"_

_"I'll see you guys later! And remember Natsuki, elbow, foot, nose, then crotch. Now have fun!" Hideyoshi yelled as the girls began to walk away._

_Natsuki gave a wave as she walked away from the middle aged man. Turning towards Shizuru, the emerald eyed girl smirked. "Your dad might act protective at times, but he's pretty awesome."_

_"Ara, yes, yes he is."_

**Flashback end**

Natsuki felt something warm and wet drip down on her hand. Tears. Wow, she didn't know she could actually cry. She's never... not even when her mother had died or when her father abandoned her. Natsuki shook her head to get rid of the flashes of images that her past had brought up. It was not time for this. She shouldn't cry. She had to be strong for Shizuru.

Turning her emerald orbs to her silent friend, Natsuki noticed that the normally bright crimson eyes had turned cloudy. The woman's body also kept shuddering as if... Shizuru...Shizuru's been crying while Natsuki was having a recollection. Mentally punching herself for her inconsideration, she stood from her spot and walked behind the silent woman. Bending down slightly, she wrapped her arms around shaking shoulders. Shizuru tensed for a moment before relaxing slightly. "S-shizuru... I'm- I can't- I don't know how to..." _comfort you..._ Natsuki stuttered to get her words out, but it all left her mouth all jumbled.

The two stayed in her position for a few more moments before Shizuru relaxed into the arms of Natsuki. "Silly Ku-chan.." the woman began. "She's still the same..." With those words, Shizuru broke down the dam that she had built over the news of her father's impendent death.

Natsuki was never good at comforting people, hell she's not the type to comfort people in general, so she did the only thing that would give Shizuru at least some comfort. She held Shizuru tighter as the woman cried her eyes out. "Yea," Natsuki whispered softly, "Ku-chan will stay the same just for Vi-chan."

After Shizuru had cried herself to sleep, Natsuki began the fast process of packing her necessities. Five days worth of clothes, her toothbrush, and her shoes. She wasn't really the type to go all out when it comes to things, so she packed all her clothes in a small duffel bag.

Setting her stuff in front of her door, Natsuki sat on her recliner waiting for her best friend to wake up. She didn't really have to wake long as Shizuru began to stir.

"Natsuki? What happened?" Shizuru mumbled as she rubbed some of the remaining sleep from her eyes. Natsuki found it absolutely adorable even at a time like this.

"You fell asleep after you cried.." Natsuki answered back as she glanced at her watch and sighed dejectedly. It seemed like packing took much longer than she though. Standing from her seat, she helped her friend up. "C'mon, Shizuru. Time is of the essense. We've got to go to Yoshi-oji."

Picking up her bag and slinging it on her shoulder, Natsuki opened her door for the other woman to step out so she could lock her apartment door. Shizuru did exactly that and Natsuki wasted no time locking her place. The two then walked out of the apartment complex to Natsuki's bike.

Natsuki froze as she was about to hop on her bike. No matter how fast they were moving towards Yoshi-oji, there was one vital piece missing. "Shizuru, how exactly did you get here and where is Yoshi-oji?"

"I took my car." Shizuru pointed to the black sedan a few cars away from the woman's beautiful bike." We live in Kyoto now so I didn't have far to drive."

Natsuki nodded and thought for a moment. "Okay, how about we take my bike? Your car is too larger to dodge traffic with and my bike is faster. With this baby, we'll arrive in no time." Natsuki patted her pride and joy. Today was the day her blue Ducati Diavel power cruiser was going to show what it was born to do.

Shizuru agreed and followed Natsuki as the other woman turned on the ignition. The crimson eyed beauty took the helmet that Natsuki had offered her and put it on. Shizuru then wrapped her arms tightly around the other woman's waist. Natsuki held a determined look as she revved her bike out of the parking lot with only one goal in mind. To get to Kyoto as fast as she possibly can.

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**Geez, Natsuki's falling for her old best friend already. All I really have to say about this chapter is that a stranger could easily become your best friend just as your best friend could easily become a stranger. **

**Sorry about the spelling and all my grammar mistakes. **

**If you have any questions. REVIEW. Seriously. Cause reviews are like cookies and I do like cookes. Yup, they're absolutely delicious.**


	2. Chapter 2

**The feedback that I recieved on the first chapter was just absolutely stupendous! I love all of your opinions on my new story. Because of that, I proudly present chapter two. I hope I don't let any of you down!**

**By the way, sorry I kinda put the last chapter in Natsuki's view. I promise that I won't do that anymore. I want everyone to read what's going on in Natsuki **_**and **_**Shizuru's head so you can all understand the story much better. **

**REVIEWERS CORNER (Bottom of page to top) **

**Guest 1- Thanks and thanks for reviewing!**

**Platina GF- I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for reviewing to this story and to my other ones as well! You're a pretty cool person :D**

**Guest 3- Uh huh. I get that a lot ;) Thanks for reviewing!**

**Guest 4- Awesome. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Guest 5- I'll always continue my stories. That includes this one too! Thanks for reviewing!**

**Guest 6- Haha, I can't wait either. Writing them together is much more easier than writing them apart. Thanks for reviewing :)**

**I don't own Mai HiME.**

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"**No matter how much time passes, no matter what takes place in the interim, there are some things we can never assign to oblivion, memories we can never rub away."  
― Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore**

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The drive to Kyoto was a blur of lights for Natsuki and Shizuru. It wasn't because they were swerving past cars and other vehicles at about 80 miles per hour, although that also contributed to the fact, no, it was mostly the adreneline coursing through both their veins at the thought of arriving too late. Too late to talk to her Yoshi-oji and to Shizuru's oto-san. That wasn't something Natsuki would allow to happen.

Natsuki pulled at her throttle to move even faster as the sun began to rise in the east. Although she was exhausted, their time was dwindling much faster than she expected. If they wanted more time to arrive to see Yoshi-oji before he... then they would need to move so much faster then they were already moving.

Shizuru held on even tighter as she felt the mechanical beast beneath her surge forward. The twenty year old was never a big fan of fast moving vehicles, thanks to that one evening with her middle school friends, but at the moment, Shizuru couldn't help but thank Natsuki for driving like a maniac who's committed a third degree murder. _'Her will is still as strong as ever..'_

Shizuru smiled underneath the helmet's tinted visor. She can still recall when she had knocked upon the door. The unmoveable object that seperated her from the midnight haired beauty of her dreams. What proceeded to occur afterwards were moments that she will cherish forever. After all, it wasn't everyday that she got to be reaquainted with the woman that had stolen her heart without even noticing it.

**Flashback**

_A seven year old Shizuru frowned as she stood in front of a dumbstrucked Natsuki._

_"W-what do you mean you're moving? Y-y-you can't just go all of a sudden! What about our picnic to the park?!" Natsuki asked as she dropped the picnic basket in her hand. It was supposed to be warm that Saturday and the two friends had organized a picnic to the park. It wasn't warm anymore. Not with the depressing news that Shizuru had told her._

_Shizuru fiddled with her fingers. How she wished she didn't have to leave her Ku-chan. "Oto-chan got a new position with his job... We.. we have to go to a new place.." the crimson eyed girl whispered as she stared at the ground, unable to meet the sadness that was brewing in the emerald eyes of her best friend. Holding her tears back, Shizuru began to curl and uncurl her fist._

_Natsuki could feel the tears peeking from her eyes. Vi-chan... Vi-chan was leaving! Leaving her all alone.. Natsuki moved towards Shizuru with her arms wide open. Tackling the girl to the ground, the emerald eyed girl began to uncharacteristically cry into the other girl's shirt._

_"Y-you- can't go! You just can't! I don't want you to leave!" Natsuki sputtered as clumbs of tears began to roll down her cheeks and onto her friend's shirt. Gripping Shizuru's shirt tighter, Natsuki stuffed her face into her friend's chest wishing that what Shizuru had told her had to be a lie or a joke._

_Shizuru, seeing her tough friend breaking down, broke down with her. Hugging the other girl's body closer, she began to wail. "Natsuki! Natsuki! I don't want to leave Natsuki!" The waterworks continued, neither letting up or letting go of each other._

_That was how Yoshi-oji had found them. Two girls on the ground, asleep, with traces of dried tears on both their faces. Picking up the girls very gently, Hideyoshi moved them to the couch. Setting them down next to each other, the chestnut haired man looked down at his daughter and her best friend with symphathy. 'I'm so so sorry... Shi-chan. Nat-kun. I promise to do everything I can to see you back together.' Hideyoshi brought his hand to rub the tears that had threathened to leave his eyes. He didn't have a choice.. He had to move to Kyoto because of the higher position his employer had offered him.. It was better for his growing daughter. Walking with his head down, the middle aged man resumed the long process of packing for a city move._

_Natsuki was the first to stir as the afternoon sun shined through the living room windom, hitting her face. She couldn't remember why she was taking a nap or why her nose felt stuffy. Maybe she caught a cold? Or mayb- ... Shizuru. The memory of them crying together came back to Natsuki with a sense of doom. Shizuru was moving. Her best friend was leaving her._

_The emerald eyed girl suddenly gripped the sleeping girl, that had curled up into her warm body, closer to her. Natsuki brought her face into the slight curly curls of her friend as she began to treasure every moment that was between now and the Viola family's departure. 'I want to be with Vi-chan until she leaves. At least let me have that, Kami-sama.' Natsuki wasn't a very religious person, but she needed someone to pray to. Someone that would hear her plea for more time._

_Shizuru woke up to the feeling of someone holding her very tightly. Opening her eyes, Shizuru met the sad gaze of her best friend. "Hey."_

_"Hi."_

_Shizuru brought her hand up to wipe away the stray tear that had managed to sneak out from emerald eyes. "I-I'm..." For some reason, Shizuru couldn't say it._

_Natsuki smiled sadly "Sorry. I know, Vi-chan. I am too..."_

_The two continue to lay there as if they wanted time to freeze. Time to stop._

_"Look, I don't want to be sad anymore." Natsuki started as she sat up from her spot. "I want to be happy before you leave... So, when you go, you'll be happy too. I don't want Shizuru to be sad when she leaves.."_

_Shizuru followed her example. The two sat there, their folded legs tucked to their chest. "Ara, then we should play. Play all the games that we made up. Watch the movies that we wanted to watch." Shizuru turned to face Natsuki, a small smile on her face. "We can do it here in the living room. We can even have our picnic here too."_

_That brought a smile onto Natsuki's face. With some glee, she jumped off the couch and ran towards the dropped picnic basket. "Yosh! We can do all that before you go!" Grabbing the food from inside the basket, Natsuki went back and sat next to Shizuru again. Natsuki handed her best friend her orange juice box and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich while she began to eat her ham and cheese sandwich with some apple juice. They turned the tv on to their favorite channel and watched their favorite animes for the rest of the night._

_The next morning, the two woke up to the sight of a bare living room. The tv was gone, the furniture packed, everything else was in boxes that had already been moved into the rental van. All that was left were the two sleeping bags that the girls had laid out the night before._

_Yoshi-oji was smiling sadly down at them as two pairs of eyes blinked dazedly. "Wake up my princess and her prince. It's...it's time to go."_

_Natsuki felt the tears start to rear its ugly head again as she heard the chestnut haired man's words. She couldn't though. She couldn't cry now or else Vi-chan would cry too. Then Vi-chan would leave sad. Natsuki quickly wiped away the tears as she stood up. Sporting a full on grin, the young girl held her hand out to her other. Shizuru took it gratefully and the two faced Hideyoshi._

_Natsuki rubbed the back of her head sheepishly as she tried to act normally to the situation. "Hehe, sorry for sleeping on the ground, Yoshi-oji. I forgot how much you hate it when we sleep on hard ground."_

_Yoshi-oji just laughed lightly. "It's fine. I'll allow it just this once. How about we grab some breakfast before Shi-chan's stomach growls again?"_

_Shizuru was so caught up in what her father had said before that she didn't notice the growling that her stomach was giving. She giggled as her two role models moved towards the kitchen._

_The three ate a hearty breakfast, filled with smiles and laughs, each invoked by Natsuki or Yoshi-oji. The two had tried to make breakfast that morning as normal as they could, but both couldn't shake the nagging feeling of it being their last breakfast together. They ignored it, though, behind Natsuki's smiles and Hidehoshi's grins._

_"Man, I'm stuffed." Hideyoshi said as he patted his bloated belly. "That sure was delicious."_

_Natsuki laughed as she nudged the middle aged man. "Quit bragging, Yoshi-oji. You cooked it!"_

_Yoshi-oji replied by nudging the little girl. Natsuki retaliated with a nudge back. Hideyoshi glared playfully to narrowed eyes. Oh, it was on. Next thing you know, the two were having a nudging contest. The two went at it for a while before Hideyoshi horribly lost by falling off his chair._

_Natsuki began to laugh as she watched Yoshi-oji crawl towards his chair in a dramatic matter. Hideyoshi joined in as well after he gave up on crawling to sit himself again. This was as close to normalcy as it could get._

_"Why?" Shizuru asked as she stared at the two jokesters with sad eyes. Throughtout the whole morning, Shizuru had barely spoken a word. Hideyoshi and Natsuki had practically ignored her as the two were too busy trying to act as if everything was normal. "Why are you both laughing and smiling?"_

_Crimson eyes turned towards brown as she stared at her father. "We're about to move away, oto-chan... How.. How can you just smile as if everything is fine and normal!"_

_Yoshi-oji just looked down, the smile on his face diminishing as every second past._

_Shizuru turned towards her best friend. "Natsuki... me and oto-chan.. we're leaving. How? How can you laugh when... when.." The seven year old brought her hands to her face and burst into tears. How could they treat today as if it was a normal day? Shizuru didn't know. She.. just couldn't handle it._

_Natsuki wrapped her hands around the crying girl. She always dreaded it when the young crimson eyed girl cried. It always made her want to.. to.. The six year old grabbed her best friend into a hug. "Shhh. It's okay, Vi-chan. It's okay. I-I I just didn't want you to leave this place sad. I don't like it when you're sad. Not one bit. So please, please, stop crying Vi-chan." Natsuki wiped the remaining tears off Shizuru's face and smiled. A sad smile, but a smile nonetheless._

_Shizuru sniffed as she held her friend close. It was almost time to go. These last few moments were going to be engraved in Shizuru's mind forever. She was going to remember this hug. This feeling of warmth. She was going to remember the way Natsuki smelled of pine trees and how her best friend loved mayo. She was going to remember how bright the other girl's smile is when they're at the park. She was going to remember as much as she possible can about who Natsuki Kruger was to her. Shizuru felt her heart beat faster as those thoughts came crashing down.. What?_

_Natsuki let go when she no longer could hear the sniveling coming from the older girl. Smiling, Natsuki dragged Shizuru out of the kitchen, through the living room, and out the door. There, in front of them, was the car that was going to take Shizuru out of Natsuki's life._

_The two kids watched as Yoshi-oji walked past them and next to the car. There, he opened the back door for his little girl. He then stood to the side, waiting._

_Shizuru turned towards her best friend and hugged her for the last time. "I'll miss you, Natsuki. I- I really wish I could stay here... with you."_

_Natsuki hugged her back, squeezing the other girl even tighter. "Same here, Shizuru. But you have to go with Yoshi-oji. Who else will take care of him?"_

_Shizuru laughed lightly, but kept a hold of her best friend. She didn't want to let go.. No, she couldn't let go. Natsuki felt the same way. But eventually, the two had seperated._

_Shizuru smiled one last time as she turned her back away from the six year old. She had to walk away now. She had to go before she starts crying again._

_But just as she was entering the car, she heard someone scream her name. "SHIZURU!" Shizuru turned around just in time for a kiss to be placed on her cheek. The older girl blushed._

_Natsuki grinned a bit wolfishly, a light blush spreading across her own cheeks. "I love you, Vi-chan."_

_Shizuru kissed Natsuki's cheek just as Yoshi-oji started the engine. This time, Natsuki's face turned a unbearably bright color of red. One that Shizuru had never seen before. "I love you too, my Ku-chan." The crimson eyed girl whispered into the other's ear. She quickly entered the car before Natsuki had a chance to say anything._

_It wasn't long before the car backed out of the driveway and onto the street. Waving to the girl standing by her house, Shizuru couldn't help but think that one day, one day, she'll see her Ku-chan again._

**Flashback end (Damn, that was one heck of a flashback)**

Shizuru snapped out of her daze as she felt the purring of the mechanical beast disappearing. "Ara.." she whispered as she took off her helmet. Honey locks began to descend back to the mid of her back.

Natsuki slid off her bike smoothly and unhooked her helmet. Taking it off, the emerald eyed beauty threw her companion a small smile. "Sorry, but we need gas. I'll be fast. I promise." With those words, she began to pump gas into her baby.

Shizuru just nodded and decided to at least stretch her legs. "I'm going to go in to use the bathroom. Would you like anything, Natsuki?"

Natsuki just shook her head denying the offer. "I'm fine."

"Alright. Don't miss me too much" Shizuru set her assigned helmet on her seat and walked towards the gas station, missing the blush that had instantly spread across the other woman's face. Entering the small establishment, she emmediately noticed what the tiny station lacked. A bathroom. Sighing, Shizuru just bought herself some tea (AN: Some gas stations actually sell tea) and black coffee for the emerald eyed biker outside. The crimson eyed beauty payed for her purchases and left the small gas station.

Walking towards her friend, Shizuru couldn't help but gap at the woman before her. It seemed that Natsuki had finished putting gas into her Ducati and was now currently leaning against her bike in a rather... alluring matter. Shizuru felt like drooling as her heart began to beat faster. _'Ara, so this is how love fels like...' _the crimson eyed thought dreamily. Ever since the first time that her heart had beaten so erratically, the day she had left, Shizuru had been trying to figure out what it meant. It wasn't until she was sixteen years old did she realize that she was in love with her missing childhood friend. Her cute, cuddly, best friend. Even though yesterday was the first time that Shizuru had seen her friend in kami knows how long, she couldn't help but think that this was the woman that she had grown to love. Of course, Natsuki had changed, it had been thirteen years, but Shizuru could easily still see the little girl that her younger self had fallen in love with.

"Here, Natsuki. You've pretty much been driving all night. You should really drink this." Shizuru said as she handed her friend coffee. Natsuki accepted it, after much consideration, and chugged in down in one go. The emerald eyed woman sighed as she felt the hot liquid slide down her throat.

"How'd you know I like black coffee? You a mind reader or something?" asked Natsuki as she threw her styrofoam cup into a nearby trash can. Giving the other the international sighn of 'let's go', the emerald eyed woman straddled her bike again.

"Ara, last I checked, I was not." answered Shizuru with a slight smile. She had accurately guessed the type of coffee Natsuki liked. One point for Shizuru. Putting her helmet back on, the crimson eyed beauty wrapped her arms around her best friend's thin waist again.

Natsuki gave a small chuckle. "Still don't believe you. After all, how could you have known that I love eating mayo, working with motorcycles, and drinking black coffee? You must have some real voodoo mojo that you're hiding, woman." Putting her helmet back on, Natsuki didn't get to hear Shizuru laugh. Turning her ignition on, Natsuki pulled the bike out of the gas station and back on the road towards Kyoto, their situation much more bright and hopeful.

* * *

**Wow, pretty long flashback, ne? Thanks to all who reviewed on my last chapter. I hope I didn't disappoint with this one. So far, we know that Natsuki's developing feelings for Shizuru while Shizuru already loves her since they were kids. I hope I didn't move this too fast. Oh well.**

**Sorry for the grammar and spelling as always. If you have any questions about what's going on, don't be afraid to PM me or something. I won't bite or anything. Honestly, I lost my biting teeth when my friend decided to have them pulled when he stole my Pocky. He bought me twelve packs to make up for it though so its cool. **

**REVIEW guys. Because reviews to me is like tea for Shizuru and mayo for Natsuki. It's every author's addiction. **


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